Sens. Franken, Johnson Bring Attention to History of Women Stripped of Citizenship & Voting Rights

Press Release

U.S. Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) have introduced a bipartisan resolution to bring attention to the women in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and across the country who, as a result of the Expatriation Act of 1907, had their citizenship stripped away after marrying a foreign national.

Congress repealed the Expatriation Act in 1940, but did not reinstate the rights of women hurt by the law, like Elsie Knutson Moren. Elsie was born in Skibo Township in Minnesota's Iron Range, and had her citizenship stripped in 1914 after marrying Carl Moren, a legal immigrant from Sweden. When women gained the right to vote in 1920, Elsie did not. She passed away in 1926 due to childbirth complications, never having regained her rights despite living her entire life in Minnesota.

Theresa Schwan, who was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, also had her citizenship revoked when she married a legal immigrant from Germany. Theresa and her husband worked on a family farm near Osceola, Wisconsin, for the rest of their lives, but Theresa was stateless and without a nationality.

"What happened to Elsie Moren and numerous other women was wrong and should never happen again," said Sen. Franken. "The Expatriation Act left thousands like Elsie without citizenship, without voting rights, and without a country. Our resolution won't scrub history, but it will bring attention to the injustice that these women faced."

"I am happy to introduce this Sense of the Senate with Senator Franken disapproving the 1907 Expatriation Act and ensuring that similar bills will not be passed in the future," said Sen. Johnson. "Too many women saw their citizenship revoked due to this Act, which stripped American women of their citizenship if they married a foreign man. Specifically, this issue was brought to my attention by a constituent who learned his grandmother lost her citizenship because she married a German immigrant, despite working on a family farm near Osceola, Wisconsin all her life. U.S. Citizenship means full participation in this incredible experiment in human freedom that is America. Something so coveted should never be taken away so frivolously, and this Sense of the Senate ensures that it never will again."

"Bob Dylan once sang that "Justice is a slow train coming,'" said Daniel Swalm, Elsie Moren's grandson. "How true. The Justice Train for Grandma Elsie and her Sisters left 107 years ago and is now, finally, pulling into the station. On behalf of all of Grandma Elsie's grandchildren and great-grandchildren alive today witnessing justice finally being done, I want to thank Senator Franken and Senator Johnson for their efforts in righting this century-old wrong."

Source